Field notes: Six days of clam digs begin Monday, Feb. 24

• Feb. 24, Monday, 4:04 p.m.; 0.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Feb. 25, Tuesday, 4:46 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Feb. 26, Wednesday, 5:25 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
• Feb. 27, Thursday, 6:03 p.m.; -0.7 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• Feb. 28, Friday, 6:39 p.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
• March 1, Saturday, 7:15 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis

Not all coastal beaches are open for every dig, so diggers are encouraged to make sure their intended destination is open before heading out.

On all open beaches, the daily limit is 15 clams per person. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container, and all diggers must keep the first 15 clams they dig, regardless of size or condition, to prevent waste.

All diggers 15 or older must have an applicable fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach.

Upcoming tentative dates during late afternoon/evening (noon to midnight only) low tides include March 8-14 and March 26-28.

Tentative dates during morning (midnight to noon only) low tides are March 29-April 3.

DOH requires test samples for marine toxins, and domoic acid levels must fall under the guideline level before a beach can open for digging.

Final approval usually occurs about a week or less before the start of each digging series.

Two more days of sturgeon retention

Anglers have been given Saturday, Feb. 22 and Thursday, Feb. 27 for white sturgeon retention in The Dalles Pool, the WDFW announced this week.

Enough fish remain on the harvest guideline of 275 sturgeon to open two additional days of retention fishing.

Daily limit is one white sturgeon with a minimum fork length of 43 inches and maximum fork length of 54 inches.

All other days through April 30 remain open for catch-and-release fishing only.

North of Falcon process kicks off Feb. 28

Fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have scheduled opportunities for the public to provide input in 2025-2026 state-managed salmon seasons, beginning with a hybrid statewide forecast meeting on Friday, Feb. 28 at Olympia.

The meeting, part of the season setting process known as North of Falcon, is just one of more than a dozen in-person, hybrid, and virtual meetings scheduled over the next two months to discuss Washington salmon fisheries.

North of Falcon refers to waters north of Oregon’s Cape Falcon, which marks the southern border of management of Washington’s salmon stocks, including Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Columbia River, and coastal areas.

WDFW will consider input from recreational and commercial anglers and those interested in salmon fishing, while state fishery managers work with tribal co-managers to craft 2025-2026 fisheries.

WDFW will present initial salmon forecasts developed by WDFW and tribal co-manager fisheries biologists on Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Office Building 2 Auditorium, 1115 Washington Street S.E. in Olympia. The main session of the Feb. 28 meeting will be available to watch via Zoom webinar. Participants must register in advance.

For a full timeline of the state’s North of Falcon process, including a public meeting schedule with opportunities to participate in meetings and provide public feedback, visit the new WDFW North of Falcon webpage.

Comment periods open for proposals

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is accepting public comments on proposed hunting season rule changes as part of the department’s annual hunting season setting process.

WDFW is also accepting public comment on proposed rules meant to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), including a proposal to implement a statewide deer, elk, and moose feeding ban in Washington.

The proposed statewide ban on feeding deer, elk, and moose is designed to limit the spread of CWD by not congregating wildlife at feeding sites, which can spread diseases. The proposal also includes a ban on baiting deer, elk, and moose while hunting.

Full descriptions of each proposed rule change are available on WDFW’s rule making webpage.

Public comment periods for each rule change end in March, but the exact comment period end date varies by proposal. Visit the rule making webpage for more information.